The instant invention relates to toy vehicles and more particularly to a remote control toy vehicle which is capable of performing a wide variety of stunts and maneuvers.
It has been found that remote control vehicles generally have relatively high levels of play value. Further, it has been found that remote control toy vehicles which are capable of performing various stunts or maneuvers frequently have increased levels of play value. As a result, a number of remote control toy vehicles have been heretofore available which have been adapted for performing various stunts, such as turning maneuvers and the like. In general, however, the heretofore available remote control toy vehicles have not been adapted for performing self-inverting and/or tumbling maneuvers or for operating in inverted dispositions.
The instant invention provides a new and innovative toy vehicle which is adapted for performing dynamic and exciting maneuvers which have not been possible with the heretofore available toy vehicles. More specifically, the instant invention provides a toy vehicle which is adapted for high speed operation and which is capable of performing a variety of self-inverting and tumbling maneuvers, as well as for operating in an inverted disposition. Still more specifically, the toy vehicle of the instant invention comprises a chassis, a plurality of resilient support wheels mounted on the chassis for movably supporting the chassis on a supporting surface, and a drive assembly on the chassis for driving at least one of the support wheels in order to propel the vehicle on the supporting surface. The support wheels are mounted on the chassis for rotation about axes which are substantially unsprung and preferably immovable relative to the chassis, and accordingly, physical shocks delivered to the chassis are normally cushioned entirely by the support wheels. Further, the support wheels, the chassis, and the drive assembly are dimensioned and constructed so that the support wheels define a three-dimensional perimeter of the vehicle which is spaced outwardly from the other components of the vehicle. Still further, the support wheels are sufficiently resilient so that when the vehicle is dropped from an initial elevation of approximately six inches onto a rigid supporting surface, such as a concrete surface, the average rebound height of the support wheels is at least approximately thirty percent of the initial elevation of the support wheels. The vehicle preferably comprises four support wheels and two drive motors for driving two of the four support wheels. Further, the support wheels preferably each comprise a center hub portion and a pneumatic balloon tire portion of toroidal configuration. The drive motors are preferably reversible and independently controllable for driving two of the support wheels. The drive motors preferably comprise high torque drive motors which have sufficient torque to pivot the non-driven end of the vehicle upwardly when the wheels on the non-driven end are in engagement with a vertical abutment surface and the chassis is in an upwardly inclined angle of approximately twenty degrees relative to horizontal. The support wheels are preferably all of substantially the same diameter and the drive assembly preferably includes a battery power supply, and both of the drive motors and the battery power supply are preferably positioned between the front and rear axles with the weights thereof substantially uniformly distributed on opposite sides of the central plane of the vehicle chassis. Still further, the chassis preferably includes first and second vehicle upper body portions on opposite sides thereof so that when the vehicle is in a first position on a supporting surface, one of the body portions faces upwardly, and when the vehicle is in an inverted second position, the other body portion faces upwardly.
The remote control toy vehicle preferably further comprises a remote control receiver and an antenna. The receiver is preferably mounted within the body portion of the chassis, and the antenna is preferably positioned, constructed and dimensioned so that it is contained entirely within the three-dimensional outer perimeter of the vehicle. Further, the antenna is preferably contained within the interior of the body portion of the vehicle so that it is not only concealed during use, but so that it is also protected against damage when the vehicle is performing various stunts or maneuvers.
It has been found that the remote control toy vehicle of the instant invention is capable of performing a wide variety of stunts and maneuvers which were not possible with the heretofore available remote control toy vehicles. Specifically, because the support wheels of the vehicle define an outwardly spaced three-dimensional perimeter, whenever the vehicle contacts a flat surface, such as a wall or a floor surface, the surface is contacted by one or more of the support wheels rather than by other portions of the vehicle. Further, because of the resiliency of the support wheels, the vehicle is capable of bouncing or tumbling on a supporting surface so that only the support wheels contact the surface. Still further, because the support wheels are mounted on the chassis about substantially unsprung axes, shocks which are transmitted to the vehicle through the support wheels are cushioned solely by the support wheels. This enables the vehicle to perform various maneuvers, including tumbling maneuvers, more efficiently by causing it to bounce from wheel to wheel once a tumbling maneuver has been initiated. Still further, because the vehicle is operative with a pair of high torque motors, and because it has upper vehicle bodies on opposite sides thereof, it is capable of performing various self-inverting maneuvers and it appears as a fully operative vehicle, regardless of whether or not it is in an inverted disposition. Even still further, because the antenna of the remote control receiver is contained within the vehicle body, the antenna is protected against damage which would likely result if it were unprotected or if it extended beyond the three-dimensional perimeter of the vehicle.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a remote control toy vehicle which is capable of performing a variety of unique and dynamic stunts.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a remote control toy vehicle having resilient tires and constructed so that when it contacts a substantially flat surface, only the tires on the vehicle contact the surface regardless of the disposition of the vehicle.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide a toy vehicle which is capable of performing self-inverting maneuvers.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.